Library becomes true joint effort

Published: June 23, 2000 12:00AM

Ideas flowed with the ease of a Post-It note, dozens of which were used by area residents to get across their vision, in key words and phrases, of the new Wayne County Public Library to designers and architects.

The yellow-stickered squares were an integral part of an "affinity diagram," introduced Thursday evening by MKC Associates representative Doyle Davidson, who facilitated a meeting that attracted between 50 and 75 people.

Davidson said the diagram process, which he has used successfully in many group meetings, "is a way to generate 400 to 500 issues and ideas" in a very short amount of time.

According to Davidson, the process guarantees "every single idea will be recorded; no ideas will be lost."

Every person attending was invited by Davidson and another MKC representative, Noel McDowell, who co-facilitated the forum, to put "each and every idea or concern on a separate Post-It." Divided into groups, they were then directed to attach the notes to easels placed around the lower-level meeting room of the main library.

When people hear a great idea, he said, "everybody starts thinking that way."

Descriptive phrases dotting the room covered all aspects of the future building, with some of the more creative ones including cable TVs for patron use, book readers for the blind and deaf, program alignment with that of Wayne Center for the Arts and the Salvation Army, gas fireplaces and even a circular-style structure with six entrances.

When Davidson directed groups to categorize the Post-It notes under consolidating "headers," the consensus building he promised as a result of the exercise began to emerge.

Davidson called it a sorting process to "find out where the common threads are and clarify thinking."

Versatility, accessibility and flexibility were major headings under which suggestions to provide "expandable" space, multi-level parking, convenient drop-off, amenities such as daily bus service for both the handicapped and the elderly, creation of a true community center, a showcase for community art and inclusion of multicultural education through a language lab could be grouped.

Other concerns raised were cost-effectiveness; more concentration on the inside of the building than the outside, all-inclusive space to reach a variety of patrons throughout the city and the county, a literacy program with measurable results, and pleasing, but functional, architecture that is upgradable.

While not every idea could be shared vocally by group leaders during the summary portion of the program, Davidson assured participants a number of times "every single word" written on the Post-It notes would be typed in the minutes and organized in a readable fashion for distribution as early as Monday afternoon.

The next step, he said, is to "begin to formulate the initial design concepts and continue to keep the community informed."

Wooster resident Merilyn Drumm praised the forum.

"I think it was handled very well. Look how efficient it was. Davidson handled the meeting with great diplomacy and gentleness and kept an open forum," she said.

Lynne Dilyard of Wooster said "we were being patronized. There are a lot of people in this room who have a lot of good things to say. They deserve to be treated more gently when they care about things."

Chuck Robinson, a Wooster resident, commented the meeting was "a little different from what people expected," but a "good approach. A lot of ideas need to be blended."

Richard Trump from Wooster was anticipating a debate format for the meeting in order "to have true public input."